Trauma and Triumph
by ScytheMeister
Summary: Due to topic/content, this story is rated MA .  Maka deals with a traumatic event  sexual assault  and has to find herself again. Written by a sexual assault survivor. This story deals with Maka overcoming it all thanks to her true friends.
1. Chapter 1

Due to topic/content, this story is rated M+. Maka deals with a traumatic event (sexual assault) and has to find herself again. Written by a sexual assault survivor. This story deals with Maka overcoming it all and finding her inner strength with the help of her true friends.

Chapter 1: The New Kid: Who is he?

"Soul! We're going to be late for class! Hurry up already!" Maka stood by the door tapping her foot impatiently. "I'm coming!" Soul groaned as he shut his bedroom door and met up with his Meister. "Let's go!" she took him by the hand and started running.

"So not cool, Maka." he huffed as he allowed himself to be lead away.

They ran all the way to the DWMA and to their class. Somehow, they managed to arrive in their seats on time.

"Good timing!" Liz Thompson whispered with a smile. Maka nodded in response, her pigtails bouncing slightly. Liz's younger sister Patty just giggled clapped softly.

Liz and Patty's Meister, Death the Kid just looked at his friends with a smirk and shook his head slightly. "Good to see you too! I'm surprised you weren't late yourself, Kid!"

Soul stated. "Why would I have been late?" Kid asked curiously. "I don't know…Because your stripes are making you unsymmetrical." Soul responded, referring to the Lines of Sanzu in the young reaper's hair.

Kid instantly fell on the floor, tears falling from his eyes and muttering something about him being worthless garbage. Everyone started laughing. "Doesn't this ever get old for you?" Maka asked Soul as she wiped the tears of laughter from her eyes. He only shook his head. "Nope!"

Liz leaned over Kid. "You're not garbage. Come on, Kid, you're okay" she tried to keep her voice comforting while still trying to hold back her laughter. She looked at Patty for assistance but realized that her sister was going to be of no help.

It was then that Tsubaki and her Meister Black*Star made their appearance. "I, the great Black*Star, is here! Now the day can begin!" he started doing warrior poses as Tsubaki slinked to her seat.

"Is everything okay?" Maka asked her. Tsubaki nodded and smiled. "The mighty Black*Star wanted to make everyone wait." she explained.

Tsubaki had to start laughing once she saw Kid on the ground. "Soul's doing?" Soul smirked, his sharp teeth shining in the light of the classroom. "As always" he told her, his crimson eyes lighting up mischievously.

"Okay, settle down everyone!" Professor Stein yelled as he entered the classroom. "Kid, Black*Star, that means you too! In your seats!"

Liz and Patty pulled Kid into his seat, although they were aware that his mind was somewhere completely different. Black*Star leaped over his friends and landed perfectly in his seat.

Stein could only roll his eyes as he adjusted the screw in his head. Once all had become silent, he began again. "We have a new student joining us today. He will be here in a moment. Right now, he is just observing and getting to know the Academy."

Chatter broke out amongst the class and Maka raised her hand. "Yes, Maka?" Stein wasn't surprised to see her hand go up. "Do we know if the new student is a Weapon or Meister?" she asked, head tilted slightly. Soul rolled his eyes and gently elbowed her.

"Right now, that doesn't matter, but thanks for asking." Stein answered. It was evident that he was hiding something, and everyone caught on to it.

Everything went silent when the classroom door opened and a shadowy figure stepped inside.

"Ah you're here. Good." Stein reached out and shut the door behind the student.

"Everyone, this is Wraith."

The students all stared in curiosity as the figured raised his head to face them. Some of the girls gasped in surprise. Maka just stared as the new student gave a half wave while trying to stay in a darker part of the classroom.

He couldn't be seen that well, but Maka assumed Wraith probably stood about 6'2; he was a very skinny boy. His eyes appeared so deep of a brown, that they may as well have been black. She was drawn to his fingernails, which he appeared to have cut into triangular shapes. He wore a black trench coat and his dirty blonde hair hung behind him in a ponytail.

Black*Star suddenly stood up "I, the great Black*Star challenge…" knowing where he was going with this, Profession Stein glared at him. "There will be no fight! Sit down." he growled.

Soul, Black*Star and Kid all exchanged glances. Who in the hell was this Wraith character and why was he here?

Tsubaki sat as far back as she could in her seat, nervously playing with her ebony ponytail.

Liz scooted closer to Kid, suddenly feeling very unsafe. Patty, in all of her innocence, was coloring and not paying attention even though Kid had a hand on the backs of both of his weapons.

Maka scooted closer to Soul and looked at the floor. Soul picked up instantly on Maka's inner panic and gently took her hand, giving it a supportive squeeze. "Maka?" she didn't respond and instead started to tremble slightly. She couldn't figure out if she was trembling because this new student frightened her, or if it's because she realized she was fascinated with him. She had no clue of why.

All she knew is that there was a strange energy coming off Wraith. She felt very uneasy and apparently, so did most of the other students.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Information Gathered: Is Wraith a danger?

For the next couple of weeks, class went by normally and oddly, even missions were scarce. The new student, Wraith, didn't say a word to anyone and no one said anything to him. He always sat in the darkest part of the classroom, as not to be seen. Most students hadn't even seen his face. However, most didn't want to due to the uneasy feeling they got whenever he was near them.

It was April 20h and another day of class had gone by normally until Professor Stein asked Maka to stay behind after class. "Do you need me to stay, Maka?" Soul asked. She shook her head. "Go ahead and play basketball with the others. I'll catch up when I'm done." Soul nodded slightly and took after the others.

"You wanted to see me, Professor?" she asked softly upon reentering the classroom. Stein nodded. "Maka, I need to ask a favor." His voice was softer than normal. "What is it?" she tilted her head in curiosity. "I need someone to help Wraith prepare for the upcoming exam. I asked Tsubaki and she refused. I fully understand why, but I need one of my best students to help him with it." he explained.

Maka's heart started racing. "Um…why did Tsubaki turn it down?" she asked him. To herself she thought, _"Tsubaki never turns anyone down who needs help. So it's not just me!" _

Stein sighed. "Probably because she feels the same way you do now." she looked at the floor. "I…I don't know what it is about him." she said once she could answer without her voice breaking. "His soul is definitely chaotic, however, I doubt Lord Death would let him here if he was too dangerous." Stein adjusted his glasses and then his screw. "Maka, you are a strong girl. I know you will be safe. If you need to, go to the Death Room and speak to Lord Death about it first." He smiled.

Maka nodded. "Okay. I'll go have a talk with him, but you're right, I'll try to help Wraith."

As she left the classroom, she sighed in defeat. Maybe once she talked with Shinigami-Sama, all would be all right. Perhaps all the students, herself included, were just paranoid and misunderstood the boy.

As she made her way down the hallway to the Death Room, she couldn't help but talk to herself. "Maybe I just have trust issues."

She knew she had issues with men, except those close to her. Her father, Spirit, had spent his marriage cheating on her mother, Kami, and now that her mother had left him, he continued on the same path. Her hands balled into fists at the thought.

Maka took a deep breath before slowly opening the door that lead to the Death Room. "Maka! What's up, what's up?" Lord Death greeted her in his singsong voice. She had to smile upon entering the room.

Despite it being called the Death Room, it always made her feel comfortable and happy. Maybe it was the bright colors or maybe it was Lord Death himself.

"Maka! My girl!" Her smile instantly faded upon hearing the voice of her Death-Scythe father. "Not him…" she whined. Looking at Lord Death, she silently pleaded with him to send her father out.

"Spirit, go check on Professor Stein for me."

Spirit's eyes filled with tears as he ran closer to Maka. "But I want to hug my little girl!" Right before Spirit was able to put his arms around her, Lord Death acted.

"REAPER-CHOP!"

Spirit picked himself off the floor and ran his hand through his red hair. "Ow! Okay. Why don't I go check on Stein?" he quickly saw himself out.

Maka started laughing alongside Lord Death whose only answer was "It never gets old."

"What brings you here, Maka?" he asked becoming slightly more serious. Maka's laughter stopped and her smile faded. "Professor Stein wants me to help the new student, Wraith, prepare for an exam…" \

He tilted his head, "and this surprises you why? Maka, you are one of the top students in your class!"

A blush of embarrassment made its way through her cheeks. "I don't feel comfortable with him." she answered honestly. "There is something about him that scares me." she whispered, looking at the floor.

Lord Death put his oversized hand on her shoulder.

"Maka, Wraith has his problems, much like everyone else here. In all honesty, he IS potentially dangerous." with this statement, Maka's head snapped up to face her Superior. She didn't understand.

"Sit down have a cup of tea and I'll explain." With her heart still racing, Maka sat down at the table. Within moments, a cup of hot green tea appeared before her. She wrapped her hands around the small cup.

"I don't understand, Shinigami-Sama." she looked into the eyes of his mask. "I cannot tell you everything, but I can give you some information." He took a sip of his tea and sighed. "Wraith has come from a troubled background. His parents are of the evil variety; however, they abandoned him at an early age. Spirit found him while on a mission with Stein recently. I believe there is hope for the boy if he remains here at the DWMA where he can be closely guarded and taught correctly."

Maka sighed. "So, despite the chaotic wavelengths, everyone should be safe?" she was still very unsure about this. Lord Death nodded. "Of course!" he laughed. She had to smile. "Alright." she whispered. "I'll try to help him." She quickly downed her tea. "Thank you!" she said with a slight bow before disappearing.

Lord Death sighed. He knew that they had to keep an eye on this boy and all staff had been called upon to help with this task.

He hoped that he was right and Wraith COULD truly be saved from his own self-destruction.

Meanwhile, Maka headed home. Two hours had passed since Soul had headed to the basketball court, so she figured he would already be home.

"Maka!" as soon as she opened the door, she was greeted by a familiar smile. "Soul, I am so sorry I didn't make it to the game." she apologized. He shrugged. "It's all good. Kid's team wiped the wall with us." He took her hand and led her to the couch. "So what did Professor Stein want?" he asked as they sat down.

Maka groaned and put her head in her hands, still distraught over the whole thing. "Stein wants me to help Wraith prepare for the upcoming exam. Tsubaki wouldn't do it, so I was the next choice." she explained. Soul bared his teeth and growled softly. "How in the hell could he ask you to do that? That Wraith guy is a creep! Everyone knows it!" Maka looked him in the eyes and smiled gently. "I said the same thing and spoke to Lord Death about it. I have his assurance that everything will be okay."

"_What I haven't told anyone is despite being afraid of Wraith, I am strangely drawn to him. His need to stay hidden in darkness has me fascinated." Maka quickly pushed the thoughts out of her mind._

_Soul sighed in defeat. "Well, I guess if he says it's safe…I still don't like it though." Maka laughed awkwardly. "Either do I…but, I trust Lord Death." he only nodded in agreement._

_Something didn't sit right with him about this whole thing. _

_As Maka got up to take a shower, he made mental note to talk to her in the morning about doing the tutoring session at their place. Maybe this way, he could keep her safe._


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Preparation: Facing Your Fears?

It was early morning and Maka had not slept decently. She gently knocked on Soul's door to wake him up and then proceeded to start breakfast.

Upon hearing the knock on the door, Soul groaned and stretched. He really didn't want to get out of bed but he sat upright when he realized that he needed to talk to Maka this morning. He through on his normal attire and ran his hand through his white hair as he opened his bedroom door.

As he approached the kitchen, he took a deep breath in. _"Her cooking always smells so good!" _Soul made his way to the table and sat down. "Morning, Maka!" he greeted. She turned towards him and smiled. He had to smile back when he saw the shimmer in her olive eyes. "Morning! Breakfast is almost ready!" she turned back around and started humming as she began plating their meal.

Maka placed Soul's plate in front of him and smiled when she noticed him drooling over the breakfast. "Eat up!" she said as she sat across from him. "Maka, you're the coolest partner ever!"

After a couple moments of silence, Soul looked at her, concern filling his eyes. "We need to talk." She looked at him. "Is something wrong?" He shook his head slowly. "No. I…I would prefer it if you brought Wraith here to study. I'll be home tonight, so I can make sure everything goes ok." Maka smiled slightly. "That's my plan." she assured him.

Maka took their plates and placed them in the sink. "Let's go. I just want this day over with." Honestly, Soul couldn't agree more.

When they got to their classroom, they were surprised to find that Tsubaki, Black*Star, Kid, Patty and Liz weren't there. "Where are they?" Soul asked. "Both teams had to make up lessons." Soul and Maka both jumped at the sound of their professor's voice. "Sorry! Didn't mean to frighten you."

Maka took a moment to catch her breath before smiling. "It's okay. It will teach me to pay more attention to my surroundings." Stein chuckled. "They'll be back tomorrow sometime."

She looked in the dark corner of the classroom and noticed Wraith just sitting there. It looked like he was doodling in his notebook. "Go ahead and sit down, Soul. I'll be right back."

Reluctantly, he sat down in his seat; however, his eyes never left his Meister.

Maka took a deep breath as she slowly started heading over to talk to Wraith. All she needed to do was introduce herself, explain she was going to help him, and then invite him over to her place.

The closer she got to him, the faster her heart beat, and the more it felt like she should just turn around and run. _"No!" _she thought to herself as she balled her hands into fists. _"It's a study session. Nothing more, nothing less. There is nothing to be afraid of! What is it with this guy?"_

As she came up next to him, Maka placed a smile on her face. "Wraith?" she asked hoping that she sounded confident. He slowly raised his head to look at her. "What?" He didn't take his eyes off hers. "Um…I'm Maka Albarn. I'll be helping you study for the upcoming exam." she explained, holding out her hand in order to shake his.

Wraith rolled his eyes. "You'll be the one helping me?" he started laughing. Maka's eyes lowered to the floor. Ignoring him, she lowered her hand and continued. "I was thinking you could come over to my place. We'll be able to study and Soul can cook since it's his turn." The laughing stopped. She looked up to see Wraith shaking his head.

"I don't like people." he growled, "If you are so desperate to help me, I suppose you'll have to come to my apartment.".

For some reason, Maka KNEW she shouldn't agree to this, however, she nodded. "Okay. Your place it is."

Wraith smiled and wrote down his address on a piece of paper. "See you about 3pm?" he asked handing her the paper. Maka nodded and without saying a word, she headed back to her seat.

"You okay?" Soul whispered. Maka nodded, still silent. "Then what's up?" Maka sighed. "He isn't social. We'll be doing the lesson at his apartment. I'll be heading over there at 3pm." she responded. She could feel Soul tensing up. "Maka, no." Was he begging her? She gave him a little half smile. "Soul, it's all good! Don't worry!" she promised. She looked into his eyes and saw nothing but concern.

After class, Soul hurried to catch up with Maka. "What time do you expect to be home?" he asked her. "I'd say no later than 7pm. It shouldn't take that long." she answered. He turned her to face him. "PLEASE be careful, Maka. I really don't like this guy." She hugged him tightly. "If Lord Death trusts him, so should we. I'll see you tonight. Dinner is fend for yourself!"

As she walked away, Soul got a horrible feeling that he couldn't explain. _"She's strong, Soul, you know this! It's a study session, she'll be fine." _He resigned himself to the fact that she was going to do this regardless. He wanted to trust Lord Death and Stein, but something said he couldn't. Sighing, he headed towards their house. He was going to stay up and watch T.V until Maka got home unharmed.

As Maka approached the glass door leading into the run down apartment building, something within her begged her to stop. Honoring the feeling, she stopped before going in. _"What in the hell is wrong with me? I shouldn't be doing this!"_ She clutched her textbooks tighter. It was then that she realized she had not given anyone the address of where she would be. _"I am sooo overreacting." she thought. Reaching the for the door, the unease became almost crippling._

_Then Maka did something she never thought she would do, she didn't trust herself and instead of turning around and going home, she opened the door and started down the hall to find Wraith's apartment._


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 Innocence Lost: How Far Does One Go To Survive?

Sighing softly, Maka knocked on the door that said 25. A couple moments went by and there was no answer. Timidly, she knocked again. "Coming!" a voice shouted.

She put a fake smile on her face just in time for the door to open.

"Maka. You actually came." Wraith sounded surprised. She nodded "Of course." she replied. _"Though, I am beginning to wish I didn't"_

"Come on in." Wraith stepped out of the way to allow Maka to enter. As she stepped in, she gasped softly at the condition of the apartment. The darkness of the apartment didn't really bother her. What concerned her was the fact that she could see into the kitchen and it looked (and smelled) disgusting.

When Wraith shut the door, she jumped.

"Why so jumpy?" he asked softly. His dirty blonde hair was not in its normal ponytail and fell over his shoulders. He also was not wearing his trench coat. Instead, he just had on a black t-shirt and black jeans.

"No reason." Maka said with a smile, pushing aside all negative feelings. "Let's study." she sat on the futon in the living which was covered with a black futon mattress.

"Is it alright if I put some music on? It helps me study." he asked with a smirk. _"God that look is creepy."_ she thought. "Of course! Whatever helps." She opened up one of the textbooks as Wraith made his way over the stereo.

The next thing Maka knew, annoying music began to blare through the speakers. She groaned and silently hoped the stereo would quit working. "I love Insane Clown Posse" he mumbled as he sat next to her.

For the next hour, Maka tried to get Wraith to concentrate on the studying; however, he just kept changing the topic. She was starting to feel MORE comfortable with him and a little less afraid. Though, every once in awhile, she would hear a mouse skittering across the tile kitchen floor, which caused shivers to go through her body.

"You know, I've killed people before." Wraith randomly mentioned. Maka's head shot up. _"I don't know if he's serious or not! Oh my Shinigami! He looks serious!" _Maka struggled to keep a straight face and pretend as if she didn't hear him. "I hope this session has been helpful for you, however, it's past 5pm and I really need to go now." she stood up and walked towards the door. She heard Wraith get up behind her.

She placed her hand on the doorknob. "I'm sorry we couldn't have studied more." his voice sounded lower and seemed to be more like a growl. _"I have to get out of here! Now!" _Maka's panic was became more intense and she started to tremble. She didn't need him seeing that and even worse, she was fighting back tears already.

"I really need to go, Wraith. Goodbye." she turned the doorknob and opened the door some. She gasped when Wraith reached over her and slammed it shut again. _"No. No. No. This can't be happening." _She kept her eyes on the door. Wraith leaned down close to her ear, "You're not going anywhere, Maka." he whispered. She closed her eyes at the sensation of his breath on her skin.

Maka kept her eyes closed and tried to focus on reaching Soul, however, her emotions were too chaotic and she was unable to focus enough. "Trying to call for help?" he laughed softly. "Good luck." he pushed her aside and locked the door.

"_Come on! Fight back! You are a Scythe Meister for Shinigami's sake!" _However, no matter what she told herself, Maka was unable to move or to scream. _"You've fought demons, witches, and you can't fight this idiot?"_

She felt Wraith running his hand over her pigtails. "You know, you're not that bad looking, Maka." He nuzzled her neck and she pulled away firmly. "Get away from me." she didn't face him, but hoped that she could sound tough enough to make him think twice.

In response, he ran his hand over her cheek. Angered, she went to slap him, only for him to grab her hand and throw her to the ground. "You'll lose this battle." he growled. "The sooner you stop fighting me, the sooner this will be over." Maka watched helplessly as he went over the futon and threw the mattress off, revealing the black metal bars that made up the piece of furniture.

"_Soul, please! Damn it, please hear me!" _She became more frantic as she did a backwards crawl into the nearest corner. _"Get up and fight!"_

Meanwhile, Soul looked at the clock. It was almost 5:30pm. Maka had said she wouldn't be home until 7pm. "Man, you can't worry yet. She's fine." he muttered to himself as he flipped through the TV channels. Closing his eyes, he tried to sense her, but couldn't. He sighed. "You'd think the range on this ability would be further."

Back at Wraith's apartment, a hell was about to be unleashed as he grabbed some white nylon rope from beside the futon. He looked at Maka and laughed softly. This would indeed prove to be a fun night for him. Here he was thinking that the whole DWMA thing would be pointless, but, something about seeing this girl in such a vulnerable state excited him.

"Get up." he commanded as he yanked Maka up by the arm. "Come on, Wraith, let's forget this happened and let me go." tears filled her eyes and she fought not to break down. He only shook his head. "Guilt doesn't work on someone like me." he commented. _"What in the hell does THAT mean?"_

Maka allowed herself to become flexible as he drug her towards the futon. "Sit!" slowly, she obeyed, watching his every move. Wraith forced her hands behind her back and she winced as he tightly fashioned the rope around her wrists and neck. "See, this way, if you lower your hands behind your back, it will tighten around your neck." he whispered in a sing song voice as the metal bars began to slowly pass their coldness onto her.

"_That's it." _Maka opened her mouth and started screaming. Within seconds, Wraith had his hand over her mouth. "You're not that bright, are you?" she looked into his near black eyes and realized she had just made a huge mistake.

"_The more I fight, the worse this is going to be." Maka lowered her head in defeat._


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Desperation: Will Anyone Survive This Night?

Wraith looked angrily at Maka. "I'm going to remove my hand. You say a word, it's over!" She only nodded silently. He got up and walked into the kitchen. Maka strained to see what he was doing, and was horrified to see him getting a roll of duct tape. As he came towards her again, she took a deep breath. She remained silent as he applied two layers of the tape across her mouth. Without saying a word, he walked over to the stereo and cranked up the music even louder. Maka was unsure of how the neighbor's could handle it. The walls appeared to be paper thin.

She could feel the coldness of the metal bars being soaked up into her body as he returned only to tie her ropes to the back of the futon. It was also at this time, he decided to tie her ankles together. Now, either way she was stuck. _"Why in the hell aren't you fighting?"_ Maka asked herself for the millionth time.

She wanted to scream. She wanted SOMEONE to hear her. Anyone.

Maka began to beg him, her words getting lost against tape. Attempting to take a deep breath, she screamed as loud as she could. It was then that Wraith slapped her with full force. Tears were falling freely now. Maka was losing hope.

She could only cringe and whimper as he undid the buttons on her trench coat and then cut off her pale yellow vest and white shirt. The tears were uncontrollable as he removed her plaid skirt and her underwear. Her body began to tremble with sobs.

Over the course of the next two hours, Maka underwent unspeakable torture. Wraith had many daggers in the home, but he seemed obsessed with one sword. The blade was at least 24 inches long, and on the hilt of it, resided a dragon. He ran the blade across her body causing little cuts and drops of blood to appear. Every once in awhile, he would stop and admire her naked body.

And his fingernails, those damn fingernails, had become a weapon in their own right, as he scratched her body inside and out. She had never been penetrated…and she never thought it would happen this way. Maka knew that there had to be internal damage from those claws…

The whole time, Maka mentally and emotionally cried out for SOMEONE to help her. Soul…Shinigami-Sama….ANYONE! She would beg him to stop, however, it only continued and seemed to be getting worse.

No one was coming for her. Soul knew she was with Wraith but he didn't know where they physically were, so she knew he wouldn't be of any assistance right now.

Back at their house, Soul yawned and opened his eyes. "Shit!" he hadn't meant to fall asleep. Seeing it was after 7:30pm, Soul made his way into Maka's room. "You home, Maka?" there was no response. He checked every room in the house only to realize, she hadn't returned yet. He picked up the phone and began to dial Black*Star's number, only to remember that all of their friends were out of town on a mission and wouldn't be back until tomorrow sometime.

Urgently, Soul left the house, determined to find out where his Meister was. "Damn it! Hold on, Maka! I WILL find you!" He had to remain positive, however, it was difficult to with such negative thoughts filling his head.

The next two hours were a blur to Maka. She had somehow managed to separate her body and soul as Wraith tortured her tremendously-anything from ice cubes being placed in horrible locations….to him threatening to shave off her nipples with clippers. She focused on her friends and family, scared that she wouldn't see them again. Mascara ran down her cheeks mixed with the tears that were freely falling. She didn't care anymore.

Maka doubted that she would survive the night. It didn't seem like Wraith was planning on allowing her to live. As he continued to call her names and hit her, she focused on the music playing. "I wanna die so I can see the other side, I wanna die so I can fly." the lyrics spoke to her. Maybe that was the only way she would get out of this and be free again. Maybe that's the only way she could fly again.

She purposely started lowering her arms, allowing the rope to tighter around her neck. Better to get it over with than let this monster be the end of her.

Wraith only laughed. "Not going to happen, cutie." he whispered. He untied her wrists and ankles and pulled her up roughly. He only laughed softly as he drug her into his bedroom. Maka blinked as her eyes tried to adjust to the black light that was providing the only lighting in the room. She instantly noticed that there was no bed, only a mattress on the floor. _"Oh Shinigami no!" As Wraith threw her onto the mattress, she knew exactly what was coming._

_She began to struggle and kick at him, however, he only smiled as he turned her over onto her stomach. _

_Knowing that she couldn't stop was about to happen to her, Maka purposely sent herself into another time and place once she heard his zipper being undone. The last thing she clearly remember was his weight bearing down on her. _

_A couple of times during "the event", Maka would feel a mass amount of pain which lead to her letting out horrible screams. Each time she did this, Wraith only laughed more._

_Maka looked at the clock, it was 9:32pm when Wraith finally "finished." They had been on that mattress for over two hours. He roughly flipped her back over and cut the ropes that had kept her bound all this time._

"_I know you liked it. Your body told me so." He smirked and threw her trench coat, underwear, and skirt at her. _

_Get out of here." he commanded as he ripped the tape off her of mouth._

_Maka quickly put on the pieces of clothing and ran out of his apartment._

_As she left the apartment complex, she turned to see Wraith in the window, his finger to his lips in silent warning. This was a warning she was going to heed. All that she was aware of, was that she was in a lot of pain and wanted nothing more than to be home._

_Maka started to run, and as she ran, it began to rain. She welcomed it, hoping that it would wash away the taint that now covered her. She was also thankful that, because of the rain, no one could see her tears._


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Revelation: Can Anything Be the Same?

It was 10:05pm when Soul re-entered their home. He had driven his motorcycle all over Death City trying to find Maka, however, he had been unsuccessful. He had even attempted to find Stein or Spirit. Anyone who could tell him where in the hell this guy lived. He sighed helplessly and went into the kitchen to get a drink of water.

Maka quietly turned the doorknob to their home. "Good. The door's unlocked. Now just to get in without Soul seeing me…" she whispered. Quickly, she threw open the door, ran straight into the bathroom, and slammed the door behind her.

Soul turned around just in time to see the bathroom slam shut after a pair of ash blonde pigtails flew by. "Maka!" he tried the bathroom door handle but it was locked. He went to shut and lock the front door before coming back.

He could hear the shower running. "Maka! I've been worried! Talk to me!" he begged. There was no answer from his Meister. He closed his eyes and placed his hand on the door. He could feel Maka's soul. He felt everything she felt:

Betrayal.

Guilt.

Shame.

Physical pain.

Emotional torture.

Chaos.

Uncertainty.

An indescribable sadness.

Intense Anger.

Loss.

Fear. An intense fear.

"_What in the hell happened? That son of a bitch…" _Soul's anger grew very quickly, however, he remained calm. "Maka, please open the door.". He was answered with a soft "No." He leaned against the door and slid down to a sitting position. "I'm not leaving, Maka." he insisted.

Maka had turned the water on as hot as possible. She removed the tainted clothing only to notice traces of blood in her underwear. She now sat on the floor of the shower, allowing the water to freely flow over her. "No one can see me crying" She brought her knees up close to her, allowing her chin to rest upon them. She couldn't even feel the water burning her.

Soul sighed, trying to keep himself under control. _"Damn it! I should never have let her go!" _He punched the carpeted floor angrily. "Maka, please!" he begged. "Go away!" she yelled back. "No. I won't leave you, Maka." he promised.

His crimson eyes threatened to fill with tears. He knew she was hurting but he didn't know why and at this rate, she wasn't going to tell him, but he had to remain strong for her.

Maka cried even harder as Soul tried to reach out to her. She was tainted now. She couldn't be a good friend, a good partner, a good Meister, and there was no way anyone could care about her now. No one would ever be able to look upon her the same way ever again….Not even Soul.

An hour passed before either Weapon or Meister knew it. Make didn't seem to notice that the water now ran frigid and Soul still sat in helplessly in front of the bathroom door.

Maka suddenly pulled out of shock long enough to finally realize that the water was no longer warm. Sighing, she slowly stood up and turned off the water. Wrapping a towel around her, she stepped out of the shower.

As she stared in the mirror, so many thoughts kept running through her head. _"I'm an idiot."_, _"This is my fault.", "I shouldn't of gone, I was warned!", "I am smarter than this!", _and _"Did I ask for this?"_

As she continued to look in the mirror, she ran her hand over the bruises that were starting to form on her face. That's when she saw them: The rope burns around her wrists. Upon seeing them, she burst into tears all over again.

Soul could hear his Meister crying and stood up. "Maka, please come out." he begged again softly. "Can you get me some pajamas out of my room?" She asked through the door. "Long sleeved and long pants?" she specified slowly. "Of course."

Maka heard Soul walk away and knew he was going to do as she had asked. She knew she couldn't hide this from him. As it was, he already knew something was seriously wrong. Such was the relationship between the Scythe Meister and her hopefully soon to be Death Scythe Weapon.

She was just about to get lost in thought when she heard a soft knock on the door. "I found your pajamas."

Maka opened the door slightly and stuck her hand out. She felt the pajamas and quickly grabbed them and shut the door before Soul could notice the rope burns on her wrist. She smiled briefly as she held the crimson satin pajamas. They were ones Soul had bought for her a couple months back because they "matched his eyes" and "that was cool".

She moaned in pain as she slipped the shirt over her head. Putting on the pants was even worse. Her whole body just ached and she tried to figure out how she was going to explain this to Soul.

As Maka, placed her hand on the doorknob, she looked back in the mirror one time. It was then that she figured out how she would deal with this night: Pretend it didn't happen.

"I'm not coming out!" She shouted angrily as she curled up on the bathroom floor rug.

Soul sat on the carpet and leaned against the door once more. Running his hand through his pure white hair, he closed his eyes. "_I'm not leaving you, Maka. No matter how long it takes. I WILL be here."_


	7. Chapter 7

Trauma and Triumph Chapter 7

Maka could hear Soul's even breathing outside of the door. She didn't know how much time had passed, but she was happy that he was finally sleeping. She was still curled up on the floor rug, staring at the ceiling. She didn't dare go to sleep for every time she closed her eyes, she kept seeing the look in Wraith's eyes.

"No! Stop thinking about it, damn it!" Maka balled her hands into fists, trying to fight the tears that were forming in her eyes for what seemed like the millionth time that night. As she continued to fight her emotions, she slowly began to tremble.

Despite knowing how warm it was in their home, Maka felt like she was freezing…from the inside out. She suddenly got the impression that she would never be the same after what had just happened to her. _"I'll just stick to my plan. Pretend it never happened." _she thought to herself. Oddly, she just wanted to listen to Soul sleep. It brought familiarity and some comfort.

A couple of hours later, Soul was awakened by the distant sound of his alarm clock signaling that he needed to get up. His body instantly responded to his attempts to move by sending pain shooting down his arms and legs. "Crap!" he moaned as he slowly picked himself off the floor. His eyes widened when he recalled last night's events.

Almost silently, he walked towards Maka's room, hoping that she had left the bathroom sometime during the night. Once he opened her bedroom door, he sighed in disappointment. She wasn't there. "So that means she spent the night in the bathroom." he shook his head sadly. _"What is she hiding? What in the hell did this monster do to her?"_

Soul ran his hands through his hair as he walked back towards the bathroom. He slowly reached out and knocked on the door. "Maka?" There was no response and so he tried to open the door-it was still locked. "Maka, we should get ready for school." He knew she loved school and hoped that this would draw her out.

"Go on ahead. I'm not feeling well." came Maka's soft response.

"I can stay home with you! Let me help you, Maka. Please…" Soul placed his hand on the door flat palmed.

On the other side of the door, Maka was doing the same thing. "Soul, you need to go. I'm fine!" She hoped that he would believe her lie, however, she knew better. "Just go!" She yelled.

Soul winced at the sound of her voice. This wasn't like her and he knew it.

"If that's what you want, Maka. Please don't do anything stupid while I'm gone. We love you. I hope you know that." Sighing softly, he went to get dressed and ready for school.

"I'm leaving now." Soul informed her. "Okay." was her only reply.

Maka learned against the bathroom door and sunk to the floor as she listened to Soul's footsteps get quieter as he got further away. She wanted to scream for him to come back. She wanted to tell him everything that happened. She didn't want to fight this alone, but she couldn't risk losing those that she cared so deeply for.

The tears made themselves known again as she picked herself off the floor. She unlocked the door and opened it a little bit. Once she had assured herself that Soul was actually gone, she ran into her bedroom and locked the door. This would be her safety. No one could see her like this.

Sadly, Maka looked in the mirror but she didn't recognize herself. She didn't want to believe that the bruising, the cuts, and the pain WERE real. Still crying, she curled up on her bed, burying her face in her pillow.

As Soul headed to school, all he could think about was Maka and imagine what Wraith had done to her. His anger raged as he got closer to the DWMA. Wraith better pray to Shinigami-Sama that he wasn't in school today because Soul knew that there was no way he would be able to control himself.

With his head held high and his crimson eyes flashing, Soul entered the classroom. Immediately, he looked into the darkest corner. No sign of Wraith. Probably a smart thing on his end.

"Soul!" he turned to see his familiar group of friends in their seats joking and having a good time. "If they only knew." he mumbled.

"Where's Maka?" Tsubaki asked, her eyes filling with concern. "Where's Maka? Where's Maka?" he had to smile slightly when Patti joined in with her sing-song voice. Soul knew he couldn't tell them yet. Not until he knew the truth and it didn't seem like his Meister wanted others to know yet. "She's just not feeling well." he answer coolly as he took his seat.

"She's missing out on Black*Star! I will surpass God today!" everyone rolled their eyes at their blue haired friend. "I hope she feels better soon." Liz placed her hand on Soul's shoulder. "She's probably sick because she wasn't symmetrical yesterday!" Kid piped up. Soul growled softly but stopped when he realized that Kid truly had no clue of what was going on.

Silence filled the room as Professor Stein came in.

During the whole lesson, Soul's mind was elsewhere. It was a common thing, however, today, all he could think about was Maka. He hoped she was alright and that he could get through to her tonight. _"I should have stayed home with her! Leaving her was so not cool!"_

Once class was over, Soul bolted without saying a word to anyone.

"I wonder what's going on with Maka and Soul." Liz stated as the group of friends left the classroom. "I don't know." Kid responded. Black*Star ran ahead of the group. "It's because they aren't spending enough time with the great ME!" Tsubaki stayed quiet.

"Tsubaki?" Liz and Kid both stood in front of her, their eyes filled with wondering. "What is it?" Liz took her friend's hand gently. Tsubaki shook her head. "I am unsure." she responded. "I don't think it's good, but, we'll know when we're meant to."

Soul hurried home and was excited to see the bathroom door open. Maybe things WERE going to be okay! "Maka, where are you?" he checked all the rooms in the house before heading towards her room. His excitement turned to disappointment when he realized Maka's bedroom was locked. "I have homework for us." it was then that he was able to hear Maka's soft cries. "I don't care!" she managed to respond.

"I'm going to be making dinner soon." he heard her sigh softly. "I'm not hungry." she replied.

As Soul walked away from her bedroom door, he stopped. "You can't fight this alone, Maka. We're friends, we're partners, and I care far too much about you to watch you be destroyed!"

He knew that pressuring her wasn't going to do any good, so he went about his evening. He made dinner and left Maka's in the fridge before settling down to watch tv for the night.

The whole time, Maka stayed in her room. Her eyes bloodshot from crying, her hair damp from sweat caused by the flashbacks she was already being attacked with.

"How can we survive this, Soul?" she asked herself softly. "How can I survive?"

**A.N- This was kind of a filler chapter, however, I am working on Chapter 8 where everything will be revealed. I want to thank everyone who has been reading Trauma and Triumph! Your feedback has meant a lot to me and has helped me out greatly. This is a very personal writing that means a lot to me. Read and Review! **


	8. Chapter 8

Trauma and Triumph Chapter 8

The next day went the same way. Soul went to school and Maka stayed home. He again told their friends that she wasn't feeling but tried to assure them everything was okay. Then again, how would he know? He hadn't SEEN Maka since she had come home that night. Still, Wraith had not been in class.

After class, Soul hurried to catch up with Tsubaki. "Tsubaki!" She turned and gave him a slight smile. "Soul, what is it is?" Immediately, she noticed the concern and the burden in his eyes. "Can we talk privately?" he asked, motioning towards Black*Star who was barreling their way. Tsubaki nodded, her ebony ponytail falling over her shoulder. "Black*Star, I'll meet you at home." She wasn't sure if he heard her as he kept running towards the door.

Tsubaki and Soul made their way out the front door and sat on a bench under a close by oak tree. She took his hand gently. "What is going on? Things have been unbalanced for a couple of days. You know you can talk to me."

"_Where do I begin?" _Soul sighed and ran his hands through his hair nervously.

The sun above them only laughed at his nervousness.

"Maka tutored Wraith the other night. Alone. In his apartment." Tsubaki gasped softly. "W-What happened? There was a reason I turned down the chance. Is she alright?" She looked into his eyes and noticed them tearing up. "Is she alright?" she asked again. He could only shrug.

"I don't think so. She has felt so chaotic…so scared. Once she got home from his place, she locked herself in the bathroom. She wouldn't come out for any reason. She yelled at me and demanded that I go to school. When I got home, she was locked in her bedroom. That's where she has stayed. I am going to try to talk to her one more time."

Tsubaki's eyes were misting up. _"I knew I felt something off." _"Do you want me to try to talk to her?" she asked softly. Soul nodded. "If I can't get through to her tonight, would you be willing to try? I hate to ask this of you…but it's killing me, Tsubaki!" his hands balled up into fists. " As her friend, as her weapon, and as someone who loves her-this is killing me!"

Soul covered his mouth with his hand, somehow hoping that would erase the last part of his statement.

Tsubaki only smiled silently. Squeezing his hand, she looked him in the eyes once more. "I'll talk to her if she doesn't respond to you tonight." she promised. "Okay, we'll meet here at 8am." Tsubaki stood up. "Thank you." he added. She bowed slightly in response. "Anything for my friends." she whispered as she walked away.

The sun was setting when Maka heard the front door shut and she knew it meant Soul was home. Part of her wanted to know where he had been, yet most of her didn't care. She sat on her bed looking at the crimson sky as she drew her knees up to her chest. She wanted to cry, Shinigami knew she needed to, however, she had spent most of the day in tears-she had none left.

She looked across the room to her mirror and winced at her appearance. Her ash blonde hair wasn't in their normal pigtails, instead, the hair was down and looked horrible. "Probably has tangles galore!" Maka couldn't believe she let herself get to this point. The bruises on her face were darker and brighter than ever. She knew the ones covering the rest of her body were just as bad. The cuts almost appeared to be getting infected.

She looked down at her wrists. For some reason, these were the injuries that bothered her the most. The rope burns.

Maka was pulled out of her trance when she heard a light knock on her door.

"Maka, you HAVE to eat something. I can't let you starve to death. Everyone misses you in class. They're worried."

She smiled slightly when she heard Soul's comforting voice. For someone who was always trying to appear "so cool", he was a kind hearted person.

"Soul…I can't."

He placed his hand on the door. "Please?" there was a begging tone to his voice.

"Not tonight." she replied.

Soul sighed. "I'm heading to bed. I am tired and not hungry."

Maka felt horrible. She could have sworn that she heard his voice a little. Was her strong partner weakening because of her?

She curled up on the bed and burst into tears as the moon rose above Death City. "Please save me." she whispered. She had never felt this weak. She had never felt so…beaten! The moon only laughed menacingly in response.

Hours passed. Soul didn't know what time it was, however, he laid awake in his bed, staring at the ceiling. He got the feeling that Maka was finally sleeping. "Damn it." he punched his pillow angrily. "Why won't you talk to me, Maka?"

As his thoughts turned to what he could be doing differently, he was interrupted by piercing screams cutting through his soul. "Maka!" He rushed to her door and began to bang on it, hoping to stop whatever was happening.

Maka's mind was on that night. She could see Wraith again. She could feel him touching her again. Her body reacted in pain, and all she could do was scream.

"Maka! Open up damn it! Please!" There was no change in the screams that came forth.

Realizing that this couldn't wait until morning, Soul rushed to the phone and instantly dialed Black*Star's number. "Please answer, Tsubaki!"

"Hello?"

Soul sighed with relief. "Tsubaki, it's me! I know it's late, but Maka's worse! This can't wait."

"Of course! Give me 10 minutes." Tsubaki hung up and Soul went back to Maka's door. The screaming had finally stopped, but he could hear her gasping for breath, trying to pull herself together.

Within minutes, the front door opened and Tsubaki walked in. She wasn't wearing her normal pale dress, instead she wore a light blue t-shirt and short set. Her hair was down and Soul could tell that she had run over.

"Please!" he begged. "I don't care who she talks to! Just someone!"

Tsubaki nodded and approached Maka's door. Once she touched it, she almost fell to her knees, however, Soul helped hold her steady. "Tsubaki?" She stood up and reached for the door. "I'm alright. I just..I feel Maka. It's such a horrible feeling."

"Maka, it's Tsubaki. Please open the door for me, hun."

Maka's eyes widened when she heard Tsubaki's voice. Soul must be desperate if he called her. She slowly crawled off the bed and crawled to the door, unlocking it.

As soon as Tsubaki entered, Maka slammed the door shut, locking it once more.

Tsubaki kneeled by Maka and took in her appearance. "Oh, Maka!"

Maka put on a brave face. "See, I'm fine." she huffed. "You are such a liar! Everyone is so worried about you!" she gently lifted Maka's face into view. "Now what happened?" she asked softly.

Maka shrugged. "I decided to lose my virginity. " she answered simply. Tsubaki took her hand and lifted it. "So these rope burns…?" Maka smiled a horribly fake smile. "We did it a little roughly." she lied. "Maka, I know better. We've talked about this. You were waiting and I can't see you letting someone do THIS to you."

Maka got up, walked to her window, and watched the moon above.

"Maka, what happened."

Maka slowly turned to face her friend and collapsed on the bed. "Talk to me."

Tsubaki sat and listened as Maka finally told her EVERYTHING that had happened that night. From the moment she got there, until the moment she left.

Maka burst into tears and Tsubaki cried with her. "I am so sorry, my friend. Soul needs to know. We need

to call Shinigami." Maka froze. "No! They can't know…"

Tsubaki stood up and looked at her best friend. "We need to do this." she whispered. "Please!"

Maka nodded slowly and followed Tsubaki to her bedroom door. She unlocked it and opened it a little. "I'm going to make the call. Come out. Come see Soul. This isn't your fault. No one hates you." she assured her.

Tsubaki left the room. "She'll be out in a moment…" she whispered to Soul. Her eyes were still red from crying and she was still tearing up. Soul handed her a cup of tea. "T-Thank you." he replied softly. "I am going to the bathroom. I have to call Shinigami-Sama."

"Come on out, Maka. You're safe now. I even made some hot green tea for us." She couldn't help but smile slightly as tears fell from her eyes. _"Please still care about me after this, Soul." _

Slowly, she opened the door and directly in front of it stood her friend. His eyes darkened as they filled with tears once more. "Maka…" he looked her up and down, taking note of the cuts and bruises on her face. He could only assume that the rest of her body looked similar.

He held out his arms to her, and for a moment, she backed away hesitantly. She went to step forward and instead fell into his arms. He lowered them both to the floor as she burst into tears. "S-Soul…" Maka couldn't even finish her statement. He pulled her close to his chest and held her tightly, but mindfully, as not to hurt her further.

"What happened?" He asked as he gently brushed some damp hair out her eyes.

"Wraith…H-He…" Maka couldn't say it. To even think the words was causing her chest to feel as though it was about to explode. Taking a small breath, she finally managed to whisper the words that described the evening. "He…r-raped me."

Soul drew her closer, trying to make sure she didn't notice the anger and hatred rising up with him. "You're safe now, Maka. I am so sorry. I should have been there." he slowly began to rock Maka in hopes of calming her. Gently, he rested his cheek on the top of her head.

All he knew was that Wraith would pay for what he had done to her.

**A/N- Sorry there was a delay in getting this chapter up. I know it was long and thanks for bearing with me. It's been a hard story to write. Actually, lots of tears with this chapter. I tried to post this yesterday, however, the site was NOT allowing me to log in! Again, thanks for staying with the story. Please R & R! Also, there is a poll on my profile, feel free to vote! Thanks!**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N- I'm so sorry that it's been a couple weeks since I updated this. Work got hectic, however, I am back and I am more than ready to continue. This chapter may be a touch short, but at least it's coming back lol Thanks for bearing with me!**

**And a huge THANK YOU to everyone who has been reviewing this! It truly means a lot to me! If you guys have recommendations or suggestions for this or another story, please let me know, I am up for anything!**

Trauma and Triumph Chapter 9

Tsubaki walked slowly to the bathroom, but stopped before entering. Turning, she saw Soul holding Maka in a loving but protective embrace. It was wonderful to see, however, she would have given anything for this to be a different situation. Her eyes filled with tears once more as she entered the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.

"How am I going to explain this to Shinigami-Sama?" she whispered. She knew he would be devastated over the news that one of His students had been harmed. She silently breathed on the mirror and then wrote the number they all knew so well. "42-42-564" She whispered softly.

"Tsubaki? Is that you? What's up, what's up?"

Tsubaki couldn't help but smile slightly as Lord Death's carefree face lit up the mirror. Remembering how late it was, she quickly bowed. "I am so sorry that I must contact you this late, Shinigami-Sama." He laughed softly in return. "Don't worry, Tsubaki. I know it must be important. What is it?"

She lifted her head slowly to face him. "There has been an incident. Maka has been injured pretty badly. We may need you to come here if it is possible."

The smile left Lord Death's face and He tilted His head in concern. "We have not gotten notice of an attack. Maybe we were not observant enough! Those Witches are getting more clever by the day…"

"It wasn't a witch!" Tsubaki interrupted. "Than what has happened?" He asked. She sighed. "It was Wraith. He raped Maka." she whispered. It was at that moment that she got a glimpse of how Lord Death looked ages ago. Angry. Terrifying. She knew that this hurt Him as much as anyone. The students had become like His own children. "I'll be right there. I am sending Kid as well!" Tsubaki bowed again before the mirror went black.

Slowly, she left the bathroom and made her way towards Soul. He was still holding Maka and rocking her gently. She placed her hand on his shoulder and leaned down to his ear. "Lord Death is on His way. He will also be sending Kid." Soul only nodded in response.

Realizing there wasn't much she could do, Tsubaki curled up on their couch to await for the arrival of the others.

"I am so sorry." Maka whispered burying her face into Soul's chest. "Hush! Don't you EVER be sorry. Do you understand?" she nodded, face still buried. He gently lifted her face towards him and realized he had never seen his Meister's eyes so dull…so lifeless. He kissed her forehead gently and ran his hand down her cheek. "Lord Death is on His way. Kid will probably be with Him which means the girls will also probably come." Maka pulled away and shook her head. "There's no need." she begged. "There is every reason to get them involved." Soul whispered.

They heard a banging on the door minutes.

"Maka! Papa's here! I'm here for my little girl!" "Oh Shinigami no!" Maka pleaded silently with Soul. "Please…make him leave!"

Tsubaki rose and put her arm around Maka. "I'll take her in the bedroom." Soul nodded and reluctantly let go of her. "I'll handle this." he promised her. Maka only nodded as Tsubaki ushered her into the bedroom, locking the door behind her.

"Open this damn door, or I'll knock it down! Maka, Papa's here!" Soul opened the door before Spirit could get a chance to destroy their home. "Where is she?" Spirit's eyes were shining from the tears that were forming. "In the bedroom with Tsubaki. Lord Death is on his way." Soul assured him. Spirit only pushed past him. "Just wait a couple of minutes. Please. Maka needs rest and you need a couple of minutes to breathe yourself." Spirit sighed realizing the young weapon had defeated him.

Soul took a deep breath and brought some hot tea to his guest. Spirit took a sip without a word. Soul sat beside him, his head in hands., already plotting his revenge against the monster who had dared touch his Maka. _"My Maka. She needs to know how much I love her. Now more than ever." _He looked over at Spirit who was in deep thought of his own.

Maka curled up on the bed close to her window, and watched the moon outside. "It's laughing at us you know." Tsubaki looked up. "Why would you say that?" she asked. Maka shrugged. "It just seems like it." She replied. Tsubaki picked up her friend's hair brush and sat beside her. "Turn around a little bit."

Maka obeyed.

Tsubaki began to slowly brush Maka's tangled hair. "I know it looks horrible…" Maka couldn't finish. "Don't worry about it. I want to help." her friend smiled gently and for the first time since this whole event had occurred, Maka was beginning to feel somewhat safe.

Lord Death and Kid headed towards Maka and Soul's residence. Hardly a word had been spoken once He had told His son why they were heading over there at such a horrible hour. Liz and Patti had wanted to come but Kid had talked them out of it, assuring them that everything was okay. He had been so wrong. "Do we know any details, Father?" Kid finally asked. His golden eyes no longer pierced the night as they normally did. Death shook His head. "Tsubaki was vague with it. I am hoping to get clarification once we arrive" He replied.

Out of nowhere, Spirit's anger rose within him causing him to grab the young weapon and throw him onto the floor. The act came so quickly, Soul didn't have a chance to respond until Spirit was on top of him, his hands around his throat. "What the hell? Get OFF of me!" Soul choked out. "You are her partner, damn it! You are the one who is supposed to protect her when I can't and you let something like this happen to my baby!" Soul wanted to respond but couldn't breathe enough to get out a word. "You son of a bitch!" Spirit was about to bring his fist down into Soul's face when they heard the sound of a door opening.

They both turned to see Maka standing outside of the bedroom door, Tsubaki by her side.

"GET OFF OF HIM!" she screamed.

Spirit didn't move and all Soul could see was an intense anger in his eyes.

Tsubaki made the first move, rushing towards the boys. "Spirit, please. This won't help, Maka. It'll only hurt her further."

When he still didn't move, Soul transformed his arm into a small scythe and raised it towards Spirit.

"ALL OF YOU, KNOCK IT OFF!"

The home trembled at the sound of Lord Death's voice. Everyone turned to face Him and His son as they entered. "Spirit, you should know better! Get off of the child." Spirit instantly released Soul and hurried to stand in front of Lord Death, bowing before Him.

Kid's eyes widened in horror at the scene playing out in front of them. _"I have never seen Death Scythe like this." _he thought to himself. _"But then again, his daughter had never been hurt like this."_

Soul gasped for breath as Tsubaki helped him up. "Are you alright?" she whispered. He nodded. "I think I'll live, but that's so not cool." he mumbled as they both took a seat on the couch.

Lord Death did a face palm with this oversized hand. Sighing, He shook his head. "Sit down, Spirit." His voice was softer this time. He knew how Spirit had to be feeling right now, but damn it, attacking the students was NOT going to make the situation better.

Spirit sat on the couch beside Soul who scooted as far over as possible without pushing Tsubaki onto the floor.

Kid looked at His father. "What do we do, Father?" he asked softly. "Take it minute by minute and keep Spirit from killing anyone." was His only response..

Meanwhile, Maka had gone back in her bedroom, locking the door behind her. She buried her face in her pillow, unable to stop the tears that were flowing now. "Damn it. Look what I've started. I shouldn't have said a word."


End file.
